Here comes the sun! In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the Summer Solstice – the longest day and shortest night of the year. (Are you in the Southern Hemisphere? We’ve got you covered.)
All over the world, and throughout all of history, people have marked this day as a celebration of life, fertility, creativity, and the awesome power of the earth.
They have also used it as an excuse to have lots and lots and lots of lusty, passionate sex, under the midsummer sun or elsewhere.
“Who needs an excuse to have lots of sex?!” you might be asking – and it’s a fair question. However, the Solstice is a Very Big Deal. It reminds us that our sensuality and creativity represent a binding web between us and the earth, all the people who have ever lived, and the awesome power of the very cosmos.
It calls for a little magic. And speaking of the stars…
If you’re here for sex-magic recipes tailored to every astrological sign, we recommend visiting – or revisiting – our Sex Magic for the Signs blog. It’s one of our very favorites.
But since the Summer Solstice is all about creative potential, we’re doing something a little different this time. Instead of recipes for sexy Solstice rituals, we’re providing inspiration to create your own – a map for a magical journey of sensual self-discovery, guided by the sun, moon and stars, just for you and the one you love.
Is it getting hot in here yet? We hope so…
Common Ground: The Eternal Ritual
Humans need rituals, and rituals always serve the same rough purpose – invoking the power of the Cosmos to inspire our personal power and guide us towards our goals.
And every magical, spiritual, and/or occult ritual devised by human beings tends to follow the same framework. If you think about it, that’s truly remarkable – a present-day shaman from the Amazon rainforest and an Ice Age medicine woman could find common ground pretty much immediately.
Only the symbolism varies. For our purposes, we’re using the ancient language of Western astrology to call the cosmos into bed with you and your lover – one powerful way to spice up your relationship.
From there, all you have to do is be open to that power – and follow the same steps humans always have, on the Solstice and on all other days of great potency.
When you create your ritual, you’ll communicate with each other to combine the hottest, most intriguing aspects of both your signs. Leo’s extroversion and Scorpio’s mysterious sorcery can seem like an incompatibility, but in ritual space, they can blend into something entirely new and orgasmically explosive.
On to the signs, and your sex-magic toolbox. As with most things worth doing, your ritual will begin with a question.
Fire – “I transform”
Fire signs run hot! The basic principle of fire is its capacity to change one thing into something very different – either in a controlled way, like a smith uses a forge, or a wild, untamed way, like a hilltop Solstice bonfire.
In their various ways, the fiery types of the zodiac seek to change everything they touch. If you have lots of fire in your chart, your sex magic may burn from a desire to mold and shape your lover’s experience. If your partner does, being receptive to their heat can change the both of you to one dancing flame.
Aries: Individualistic, headstrong, forceful, results-oriented. The first sign of the zodiac, Aries is a trailblazer who get things done. They like being on top – literally and figuratively! Youthful in spirit, they’re responsive to a sense of play and discovery – so your ritual journey may begin with asking Aries “What have you always wanted to try and never have?”
Leo: Dramatic, generous, warm-hearted, brave. Leo loves being the center of attention – and they deserve it. They generate as much heat and light as they absorb, and they’re fierce and passionate lovers whose pleasure makes you feel like a million bucks. Ask them, “How have you always wanted to be appreciated?”
Sagittarius: Curious, adaptable, philosophical, authentic. Sagittarius is constantly in motion. (You would be too if your bottom half was a horse!) They think hard, play hard and say what they think, and their quick minds are always open to new experiences. Ask Sagittarius, “Where have you always wanted to go?”
Earth – “I embody”
Earth signs are grounded in the dynamics of the material world. Managing resources is their greatest gift, and if that sounds unsexy, consider that our bodies – our blood and organs and nerve endings – are our most valuable possession. Earth signs know this to their bones.
More than all the other signs, earth signs understand the sacredness of the Real. If you’re an earthy type, conjure your magic by indulging in full, sensual, mindful awareness of what you can see, hear, smell, taste and touch. If your partner is, bring them something new and delicious to experience with all their hungry senses.
Taurus: Sensual, stubborn, patient, consistent. Taurus can go forever, in bed and out of it. They have expensive taste, love comfort and indulgence, and are never wrong about anything (the author of this piece may or may not be one). Ask Taurus, “what is something you’ve always wanted to have?”
Virgo: Meticulous, cerebral, practical, pragmatic. And despite all that, there can be a deep and unique kinky weirdness to humble, grounded Virgo – inspired by the ever-changing nature of Mercury, their ruling planet. It isn’t always easy to be a Virgo, so ask them, “Who have you always wanted to be?”
Capricorn: Earnest, driven, diligent, goal-oriented. Contrary to popular belief, Caps aren’t conservative (especially not in bed). They just know exactly how things work and act accordingly. Ruled by Saturn, they understand timing and momentum like no other sign. Ask them, “What have you always wanted to show me?”
Air – “I reason”
Air signs are creatures of the mind. Human cognition is the most sophisticated tool we have for navigating life, sex, and everything else, and the mind of an air sign is a fabulous resource for all kinds of titillating discovery – whether that mind belongs to you or your partner.
In evolutionary terms, the human brain is a late addition to an animal body. If you are a creature of air, explore ways to bring your intellect to bear on accessing the power of your earthly form – and if your partner is, their powers of observation can help you to discover yourself.
Gemini: Perceptive, analytical, intellectual, changeable. Geminis are often walking bundles of contradictions (it’s that Mercury thing again). They’re articulate, charismatic and capable of endless self-transformation, and often many people in one. Ask them, “Show me a you who I don’t know.”
Libra: Charming, sociable, diplomatic, optimistic. Ruled by Venus, Libra loves people and is fascinated by human nature in all its expressions. They are consummate hosts, endlessly generous, and could certainly use a break once in a while. Ask them, “How can I take care of you?”
Aquarius: Insightful, eccentric, clever, self-reliant. They’re weird. They think they’re perfectly normal and everyone else is weird, and they might actually be right. Hard to get close to and hard to pin down, the mind of an Aquarius can be an inspiring place to get wild and free. Ask them, “Surprise me.”
Water: “I feel”
We were all born from water, and water signs are tapped into the deepest emotional currents of the human subconscious. Their emotions are like the tides, and like the sea itself, they contain all kinds of remarkable mysteries – to others, and to themselves.
If you’re a being of the deep, know that you won’t be truly sensually fulfilled until your emotions and intuition are attended to – and that’s a good thing. If your lover is a water sign, learn to understand their emotional intelligence as a resource to you – and let their Feels flow freely.
Cancer: Sensitive, domestic, guarded, compassionate. Crabs have a tough shell that can be a challenge to get through – but once you’re in there, their devotion and generosity (between the sheets and in life) are boundless. Ask them, “What can I do to help you feel truly safe?”
Scorpio: Mysterious, psychic, intense, serious. Everybody has a Scorp Sex Story. And it’s funny that they have a rep for being mysterious, because everyone knows how they are – but they’re plugged into the Eternal Mysteries, and unafraid of the shadow side of life. Ask them, “Scare me.”
Pisces: Intuitive, imaginative, empathetic, fanciful. Pisces are old souls who can seem as wise as sages no matter their chronological age. They see and feel the subconscious currents of existence like nobody else, which can be overwhelming – so let them spill over. Ask them, “Tell me something I don’t know.”
Basic Ritual Design
The first step is sitting down with your partner, when you’re both feeling open and relaxed, and asking them the questions suggested above – and writing down or recording, via voice or video, the ensuing conversation.
And that may be enough for a really hot time.
But if you want to get more formal with it, in the lusty, warm, passionate, celebratory, life-giving spirit of the Solstice… here’s that basic ritual framework we mentioned above.
Setting the scene. Most rituals take place in a setting or a scenario that is notably, intentionally different from “normal life”. This doesn’t mean that you have to find a circle of standing stones to make love in! In fact, your bedroom may do very well – as long as you change something that represents a “yes, please, come in” to the spirit of your sexual expression.
It could be as simple as sheets in an unusual color, reserved for ritual work only. (For the Solstice we recommend red, gold or both.) It could be different lighting, different music, or all of the above, or a special meal or drink. Just as long as it communicates “this is different, this is special, this is sacred”.
And tidy up! Not only with cleansing smoke – pick up your socks as well. There’s no real difference between the material and Spirit, after all.
Altars, props and totems. Ritual objects are more ubiquitous than you’d think. From rabbit’s foot keychains to religious jewelry, humans surround themselves with objects that are meant to call in spiritual power.
So they can be anything. We recommend collaborating with each other to build an altar in your ritual space. It can be very small and very simple, as long as there’s at least one candle, a bowl of water, something to represent each of you, and something representing the Sun (it’s the Solstice, after all).
To represent yourselves, consider finding images or objects that embody both you and your signs. You can get very playful and creative with this, and make little dolls, go thrift shopping for action figures, draw pictures… anything you like.
One easy shortcut is using Tarot cards or even regular playing cards. Pick a face or court card apiece, whose suit corresponds to the element of your sign. Swords = Spades = Air, Cups = Hearts = Water, Wands = Clubs = Fire, Pentacles = Diamonds = Earth. And don’t feel constrained by gender – Aries may want to be the King of Wands even if she identifies as a woman.
Once you have your totems, assemble things that represent your desires. Flowers, toys, food, jewels… or even just a list, handwritten on special paper.
The conversation this process will provoke is (almost) the whole point.
Opening. All rituals require a specific beginning – which, again, can be very simple. Lighting your altar candle and breathing together may be enough, or you can sing a song, recite a poem, or just open a window and say “Solstice, come in!”
A good rule of thumb is that if you feel challenged by an opening, that’s good. If you feel playful about an opening, that’s also good. Feeling awkward or silly is a good indicator that another approach may be in order.
The sex part. This bit is none of our business.
Closing. Once the doors are opened in ritual, they must be closed when you’re finished – not because anything terrible will happen if you don’t, but because open rituals leave open timelines. Owing to human concepts of causality, it can be too easy to believe that your lusty Solstice celebration caused that fenderbender a week later.
It will not, we promise, but a proper closing banishes all worry. Snuff the candle (never blow out ritual candles), close the window, and say “thank you” – to each other and to the Cosmos – at the very least.
Modern times are unfortunately lacking in ritual, rite, and human connection. This Midsummer, reestablish the old traditions in a new, meaningful, and really hot way… and see what comes in.
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